I was looking through my blog archive and noticed one of my top viewed recipes was this Quinoa and Spinach salad with a smoked paprika vinaigrette. This is the vinaigrette this is my go to for salads now, I just make it without even thinking about it. This salad is seriously delicious and one of the few things I have made over and over again.
This is one of those big salads for a meal kind of recipes and it is filing, full of flavor and there are so many vitamins, minerals and antioxidants packed in here.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed and drained
- 4 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves
- 2 15- to 16-ounce cans garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 unpeeled English hothouse cucumber, cut into small pieces
- 1-pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
- 1 1/2 cups coarsely crumbled feta cheese (about 7 ounces), divided
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 2 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 cup olive oil
Directions:
- Place quinoa in large saucepan; add enough salted water to cover quinoa by 1 inch. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until quinoa is tender, 15 to 16 minutes. Drain. Chill until cool.
- Combine spinach leaves, garbanzos, cubed cucumber, halved tomatoes, mint leaves, and half of feta cheese in extra-large bowl.
- Add cooled quinoa and toss gently to blend.
- Whisk vinegar and smoked paprika in small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Season dressing with salt and pepper.
- Pour dressing over salad; toss to coat.
- Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Sprinkle remaining feta over.
